


the devouring of high hopes

by underdebate



Category: Blood Ninja Series - Nick Lake
Genre: F/M, Other, a girl-samurai and two vampires, somewhere in the middle of Book II when nothing is awful, totally implied Hana/Taro/Shusaku
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-11
Updated: 2014-05-11
Packaged: 2018-01-24 10:08:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1601000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/underdebate/pseuds/underdebate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shusaku and Hana are both notoriously strong-willed. Maybe this is why they fit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the devouring of high hopes

"The _nerve_ of that horrid man," Hana mutters to herself, squeezing the hilt of the blade at her hip. "If he only knew who he'd been addressing. I could have flayed him."

 

Shusaku pushes the hood back from his head-- now that they are outside of the village, there is no point in hiding his face. Taro walks ahead of them, every inch of his stance conveying tension and brooding; heavens, but sometimes she wished their master could imbue the same patience in her. She knows Taro had wanted to take a chunk out of the drunken fool just as badly, but  _he_ had not been the one to reach for his sword.

 

"Milady." Shusaku's tone is lightly reprimanding. "I know it must be difficult not being able to simply  _command_ the death of anyone who displeases you--," his voice is tight, "but your self-restraint is appreciated, and when you are Lady Oda no Hana once more I am certain you will not have to wield the sword yourself."

 

She stops, a little snarl of frustration escaping her. "I do not intend to be  _Lady_ anything, you idiot." For a moment, he is taken aback-- genuinely given pause, and he stops too, looking bewildered.

 

"Is that what you think this is? I will become Lady Hana and sit at the left hand of--  _Lord Tokugawa_ up there, and we will let people cut out their entrails in front of us? Yes, I can see it, ninja."

 

Shusaku, for once, stumbles over his words. "I-- did not mean to assume... no. You are not your father. I only meant that you would not have to deal with scum like that drunkard when you were in power." He blinks at her, still not quite understanding.

 

She would like to show him what she means with a blade to his throat, but she steadies herself, and breathes.

 

"I wish you would stop with that. Lord Endo, hear me this: I will be no lady, I am a samurai. As such you will address me as Hana only, and you will not use my father's name against me. If any bastards need executing I will most certainly _do it myself._ I have every intention of wielding that sword."

 

"The—" She can tell he wants to say 'lady' again. "–co-ruler of the shogunate must be a Lord or Lady. You come from noble blood. You do intend to rule, do you not?"

 

"I intend for this to be a Tokugawa era." Heavens, out of the corner of her eye she can see that Taro has stopped too, and is watching them with plain confusion and perhaps a bit of shock. When did he notice they were arguing? "I believe there are rules that state the shogun cannot be a _vampire_ either, Lord Endo. Your logic has fault."

 

A faint look of steely admiration crosses Shusaku's face, and then it is gone. "This shogunate has no need of more men drunk on their own power. Nor-- men in general, I think."

 

"We'll have to put one on the throne," Hana sighs. Shusaku smirks at her approvingly, and she grins back, showing teeth. "But he won't like it very much. I, at least, know the delicate nature of ruling samurai. All brave men know how to do is think with their swords."

 

Up ahead, Taro stifles a laugh. Cutting a leer at Shusaku, she jogs ahead to match her young lord's pace; reaching him, she winds their arms together and gives an affectionate-- possessive-- squeeze. Behind them, she can hear Shusaku's quiet footfalls.

 

"Two _kyuuketsuki_ as my traveling companions and I still have more steel in my teeth than the both of you." She leans against Taro's side, and he laughs. "The only proper samurai of the lot too. A shogunate taken by a bastard's son with a mouth full of blood, and a girl-samurai-- what is our world coming to?"

 

"What indeed," she hears Shusaku murmur, and she glances over her shoulder, but there is the barest hint of a smile on his face. "Hana, samurai are obliged to serve under a lord-- girl or not. Unless you intend on pledging allegiance to Taro's rule?"

 

Taro scoffs. "Wouldn't let her even if you genuinely thought that was a good idea." It makes Hana crow with laughter.

 

"I pledge myself to me, Shusaku. My own rule. My land. Mine to protect." She presses her forehead against Taro's shoulder, briefly, holding him tight. There are things more important to protect than soil and water, too. He leans his head against hers. After a moment, she pulls away and lets herself fall into an easy stride beside him. Shusaku coughs awkwardly, but eventually brings himself to Taro's other side.

 

"But if you think Taro needs pledges of loyalty," Hana continues, glancing across Taro to where Shusaku is fiddling with the strap of his sword, "I believe yours should be the first, dear lord of disgraces."

 

"Ah. Lord of disgraces. I like that." Shusaku grins, and then glances at Taro between them. Taro has the grace to look thoroughly embarrassed and stares resolutely ahead. As she watches, the elder ninja squeezes his arm. "One day-- not today. Ideally when I've run out of jokes about my apprentice's terrible skill with a katana, and he is fed up and stops laughing at them."

 

"I only laugh because I know they're words of jealousy, Shusaku," Taro says airily, but the illusion is ruined as Hana watches him flush, and again she is laughing. He elbows her in the side, and she thinks to smack the back of his hand, but restrains herself lest they end up squabbling in the dirt like toddlers. Shusaku is watching them with a look of what might have been fondness on any other man's face.

 

They continue walking towards the tree-lined horizon, Taro between them. It's fitting.

 

She hates it, but maybe they do fit.

 


End file.
